As semiconductor devices such as processors, memories and other components become increasingly smaller, faster and more power dependent, great amounts of heat can be generated during operation of these components. Accordingly, many systems include thermal solutions to provide cooling for such devices. While these solutions can vary widely, many processors are housed in a processor package that includes a heat spreader to be coupled to a thermal solution such as a heat sink adapted on top of the package. While this heat sink can provide some amount of cooling for a processor, sometimes great temperatures can still be reached.
Furthermore, as devices become smaller, proposals have been made to develop three-dimensional (3D) packaging or stacks of packaged devices. However, providing cooling for such devices can be very difficult.